Cycling champion Lance Armstrong is offering a reward for the safe return of his one-of-a-kind racing bike after it was stolen this weekend.

The athlete broke the news on social networking website Twitter on Sunday morning, explaining how the custom-painted Trek time-trial bicycle was one of four that had been swiped from a truck outside his hotel in Sacramento, California. Armstrong is in the state competing in the Amgen Tour of California with Team Astana, and had ridden his black and yellow bike just hours before it was taken.

Writing an appeal to fans on the site, he says, "There is only one like it in the world, therefore hard to pawn it off. Reward being offered." The sports star was due to ride the bike on Sunday afternoon, but he and his three teammates had to make do with replacements.

Armstrong has not specified the amount of the reward.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)